France’s Esoctrilihum returns with their 11^th full-length album Döth-Derniàlh.  Last year’s Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac was the longest album I have ever reviewed.  An album broken up into 3 discs, running over 2+ hours.  Esoctrilihum are one of the most fascinating one-man band acts out there, however, I know when I review, I am in for the long haul.  Asthâghul’s music is a lot to take in, he throws everything and the kitchen sink at the listener.  35 minute long albums he scoffs at and with this new album, there are seven songs with a run time of just about 80 minutes.  Average song length at a whopping 10.5 minutes.

“Atüs Liberüs (Black Realms of Prisymiush’tarlh)” starts things off with the ethereal keyboards and the black metal vocals come in immediately.  Esoctrilihum have many different sounds going all at once and this track proves no different.  Alternating between clean and black metal vocals the song is epic and atmospheric.  Rather than opening with blasting, this is mid-paced incorporating many different types of instruments.  Acoustic guitars as well as strings, violins/violas perhaps.  With his anguished spoken word style vocals the song is off to a weird AF start.  The song abruptly shifts to manic blast beats with the string instruments over the blasting.  Then more spoken word vocals, aria background chanting, and mixed in black metal vocals.  This part is creative and excellent, and a lot to take in.  Around the six-minute mark, with the acoustic moments, sounds like an alternative rock song, even with all the avant-garde types of sounds going on.  This is an immersive track.  Quite a bit different for the band and as always many different sounds all over the place.

“Dy’th Eternalhys (The Mortuary Renewal)” is over 16 minutes and brings more of the black metal influence back into the fold.  Monster blasting, screechy vocals and more of the spoken word moments.  I really like those moments when they’re over the blasting.  Sounds weird, but it works.  This song’s blasting is quite fast.  There is a beginning slow moment right after the blast.  Those keys are piped in louder in the album mix to penetrate your soul and shatter eardrums.  After these moments right before the blast Asthâghul lets out a very cool death metal quick grunt to signify the blast beat about to come.  These little moments I love.

I still cannot figure out if he uses drum machines on his releases or does the drumming himself.  I’ll say it’s a human drummer.  Some of the drumming can get a bit sloppy in parts, but again, I have no other info about the drumming, just that he is the one-man show.   The keys are quite awesome on this track with the atmosphere they create.   More of the rock moments enter into the picture, later on in the track.  These experimental moments, with his spoken word style, and instrumentation is cool.  I love, it when his deeper vocals come in after this moment, more of deeper death metal bellows, then back into the instrumental portions.  I encourage you to listen to this song/album with AirPods/headphones on to hear all the different sounds.

“Zilthuryth (Void of Zeraphaël)” begins with acoustic and quitter moments alongside the string orchestral arrangements.  This opening is breathtaking and this song has vocal smatterings across the song, but not as many vocals as some of the other songs.  This track is more atmospheric and experimental, with not a lot of pedal to the metal, if you catch my drift.  This is a somewhat dare I say relaxing song.  Very New Age style, and I imagine myself near a babbling brook as I listen to this song.  Calm and serene and easy to absorb – meditative.

Döth-Derniàlh is a slight departure from Esoctrilihum.  More orchestral and calmer/serene moments.  The emphasis on spoken word style vocals are increased exponentially on this album.  Esoctrilihum never wants their listeners to get too comfortable with their music and are always an ever-changing band with sounds and instruments.  I do not see the band ever releasing a straightforward album.  Not at this stage of the game.  Again I find the band fascinating and enjoy the variety and plethora of styles on this album.  It is a lot, though!  It requires the listener to sometimes break up the album into a few sessions, due to the length of the album and overabundance of sounds/vocals/styles portrayed within.  Overall another quality release by the band.

 

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